1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to disk drive suspensions. More particularly, the invention is concerned with suspensions having an electrical interconnect of trace conductors, an insulator and a metal layer traversing the suspension spring portion or hinge. In such suspensions, the interconnect, particularly the metal layer thereof, contributes unwanted added stiffness to the spring portion. The metal layer, however, serves to control impedance in the conductive traces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lessening the stiffness contribution of electrical interconnect metal layers by complete removal thereof or by opening a large aperture in the metal layer eliminates or greatly lessens the stiffness contribution but impedance control suffers. From a mechanical point of view, the suspension spring portion comprising a hinge defining a bending zone is desirably as flexible as possible. Using a large aperture in the ground layer-defining interconnect metal layer is a solution often used, although this causes changes in the impedance value in the interconnect and creates a Z0 mismatch between the amplifier and the slider, and cross talk between traces.